Although the coach of the Montenegrin national basketball team, Boško Radović, faced numerous dismissals ahead of the European Championship (EC), the arrival of the first star, NBA superstar and Chicago ace Nikola Vučević, was never in question.
The upcoming EuroBasket will be the fourth in Vučević's national team career. He has also participated in the WorldBasket twice, played in the Olympic qualifiers last summer, and is now ready to lead our national team once again.
And the upcoming continental competition is the reason for an interview with Nikola Vučević. In an interview for "Vijesti", the center of Chicago and our national team emphasized that the upcoming games will probably be his last in the national team jersey, and he spoke about his chances at the championship, playing for the national team, but also the previous season and his future with the Bulls.
"I feel good. I've been training for a long time and I expect to be 100 percent ready and healthy when preparations begin. There have been a lot of cancellations, we don't know what it will look like when we get together. I don't have any expectations regarding the goal at the moment - I'm thinking about how the preparation period will go, how everything will look, whether we will be healthy. And then later we can have a clearer picture regarding expectations. It would be a great success if we got through the group. If we were complete, we would have a real chance to advance and get a good result," said Vučević.
AGAINST SWEDENS AND BRITISH FOR THE KNOCKOUT PHASE
The European Championship is being held from 27 August to 14 September. Montenegro is in Group B, and the matches will be played in Tampere, Finland. In addition to the host, the rivals are world champion Germany, Lithuania, Sweden and Great Britain. Four teams advance to the knockout stage, which will be played in the capital of Latvia - Riga.
"The group is tricky. These are teams with quality players. Finland has the home field advantage, they will be motivated, they will be led by Markkanen, who is a great player. Lithuania is an experienced team - they also had a dismissal, but despite that they are a very good team. They play hard and solidly, it is always tricky and difficult with the Lithuanians. Germany is one of the favorites. I don't know Great Britain and Sweden that well."
As things stand now, Montenegro will be looking to advance to the next stage against the Swedes and the British.
"Our real chance is against those two teams. We're going game by game. Everyone will try to get through, it will depend on a lot of factors. We'll have to give our best in every match."
The schedule is not ideal. Vučević and his teammates open the tournament with a duel against Germany, followed by Lithuania, Finland, Sweden and Great Britain.
"The schedule is a bit tricky, because the games against Sweden and Great Britain will be the most important for us to qualify. We can think about using the first three games to get even more physically fit, so that we can be maximally prepared for the last two. The focus needs to be maximum, knowing that our qualification depends on those two."
Montenegro will be without captain Bojan Dubljević, as well as Nikola Ivanović, Nemanja Radović, Dino Radončić, Petar Popović, Fedor Žugić, Luka Bogavac, David Mirković and Andrija Grbović at the championship. When asked if he is demotivated by the fact that the "reds" will not have the strongest squad, Vučević replied:
"Of course not. I wish they were all here, they would bring more quality, we would have a better chance of a good result. But what is there - it is there. It is an opportunity for other players to get a chance. You never know what can come out of it. I am looking forward to the reunion, the championship, to meet the younger guys, to play with them. Maybe I can pass on some of my experiences to them. I think we have a respectable team. To create good chemistry, to fit in well, to go with great desire, and then let's see how it will look."
Vučević returned to the national team in 2023, after a four-year break. He, like the other players, emphasize that the atmosphere in the team is at a top level.
"There was a really good atmosphere at the World Cup and in the Olympic qualifiers. They are all good guys, we get along well. We come with the intention of getting a good result and chemistry. And then it's nicer to play that way. I think chemistry was the main factor in our success at the World Cup - we got along well, played for each other. Socializing off the field means a lot. I believe it will be the same this summer. We, the older ones, as leaders, should pull the young ones, help them, so that they come ready to work," said Vučević.
IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO PLAY FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM
Playing for the national team is always a great honor, Vučević points out.
"It's always nice to come, play and represent your country. Especially at big competitions, where all the best basketball players gather. It's different compared to playing in a club. The feeling is different, the chemistry between the players, the energy... You have a national team that you play for. You represent your people, the whole country is watching you, that's a special charm."
And his great national team career is coming to an end. Vučević will turn 35 in October, and the EuroBasket matches will likely be his last in the national team jersey.
"I think that will be it after the European Championship. I will try my best to give my all, to enjoy myself, to achieve the best possible result. I am entering the last period of my career. The focus will be on other things - to rest during the summer, to dedicate myself to my family. It is not 100 percent, but at the moment I think so, these are probably the last appearances for the national team at the European Championship."
AN EXPERIENCE BIGGER THAN BASKETBALL
In addition to Vučević, the upcoming European Championship will also be the fourth for Vladimir Mihailović. It is known that Vučević and Mihailović are friends off the field, and on the field they will be the leaders of the national team this summer.
"We played together at the first European Championship in 2011. It will be a great experience for us. We are friends off the court, our families hang out. I'm always happy when we play together, we spend time together during preparations. These are experiences that are bigger than basketball. You share the court and experiences with someone who is a great friend to you. We talk about it often. This may be the last time for me and him to play for the national team, the last European Championship. It's a great story, we started our national team careers together, we'll finish them together."
I HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HEAD COACH
Vučević points out that he has excellent cooperation with coach Boško Radović.
"I have an excellent relationship with the coach. We have known each other since the European Championship qualifiers in Lithuania. We have always had good cooperation and a great relationship. We are in contact often. Boško Radović has done a great job since he arrived. Three major competitions, he has achieved good results, which is also shown by the relationship he has created with the players. The trust and how he has integrated everything shows how much influence he has had on everyone."
MESSAGE TO YOUNGER PLAYERS - FOCUS ON SCHOOL AS WELL
Four guys from Montenegro are heading to the NCAA this summer - Luka Bogavac (North Carolina), David Mirković (Illinois), Andrija Grbović (Arizona) and Vladimir Sudar (Peperdin). Vučević, who attended South Carolina College, described what awaits all the young players in college.
"The NCAA has changed a lot since I was there. They can expect good work, great conditions, strong competition. Luka Bogavac is going to North Carolina, one of the best universities when it comes to basketball. That experience means a lot for the development of a young player. I love that system, because you play and you have the opportunity to get an education. And no matter how talented you are, it's never certain that you'll succeed. Then it's good to not only focus on basketball, but also on school. That's one of the most beautiful periods in my life."
Young players receive a lot of money for playing in the NCAA, which is also significant.
"If they have the right focus and approach, then it can be a good experience for them. They also get a lot of money, it can change their lives and the lives of their families. It's a good path to choose - they need to do things the right way, take advantage of the opportunity and make the most of it."
SERBIA IS THE MAIN FAVORITE
When it comes to being the top favorite at EuroBasket, Vučević has no dilemma:
"I would single out Serbia. Serbia is the main favorite. The most complete team, with the most experience, they have been playing together for a long time. They are led by Nikola Jokić, the best player in the world. This is a team that had a great result at the Olympics and I think they will win gold this year. Personally, I would like it for them, because they have the quality to win the title. After Serbia is Germany. The French are quite weakened, I don't know what the Spanish lineup will be..."
I'M STAYING IN CHICAGO
Nikola Vučević is coming off another great season in the NBA, his 14th in his career. He averaged 18,5 points and 10,1 rebounds. In late February, he made history by surpassing 10.000 career rebounds in a game against Phoenix.
"I'm happy with how the season went. The team was rejuvenated, no one knew what to expect. At the end of the season we played good, beautiful basketball, quite fast for a lot of points, that looked good. It's a shame that we failed against Miami, we didn't make it to the playoffs. Getting into the play-in was a positive thing for us. I had a good season personally, the most important thing is that I was healthy. I played 73 games, was consistent, which is very important for me. I'm happy that I stayed at my level in the 14th season and continued to play well. I hope it stays that way."
The media often writes about the trade and Vučević's departure from Chicago. The Montenegrin international emphasizes that there is nothing to it, and that he will play for the Bulls next season, with whom he has one more year of guaranteed contract.
"I expect to be there. A lot of things are being written, a lot of them are incorrect. I don't deal with that. The information I got from the club and from the agent says I'll stay in Chicago. That's it."
I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT EUROPE
At this moment, Vučević is not thinking about playing in Europe one day. His focus is on the NBA, where he will play as long as possible in the strongest basketball league in the world.
"At the moment I'm not thinking about Europe, about that direction. I would like to stay in the NBA as long as possible. After all, the NBA is the strongest league - if I could have a good role, then I would like to stay as long as possible. It's difficult to return to Europe after so many years. Basketball is different, the system is different," Nikola Vučević concluded in an interview for "Vijesti".
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